NBA Player of the Week

The Milwaukee Bucks moved within three games of the division lead this week as Brandon Jennings (left) was named the NBA Player of the Week. In right photo, guard Monta Ellis goes in for a lay up over Detroit. Below, Bucks’ great and assistant coach Sidney Moncrief watches the game. (photos by Bill Tennessen)

Jennings named NBA Player of the Week

The National Basketball Association announced that Bucks guard Brandon Jennings has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played last week. The award is the third of Jennings’ career and second this season after he took home the honor following the opening week of play on Nov. 5.

Jennings averaged 24.5 points and 6.5 assists per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from beyond the arc in leading the Bucks to a 3-1 week. He led or co-led the Bucks in scoring in all four games, and his 24.5 points per contest was the second best average in the conference during the week, trailing only Carmelo Anthony’s 28.7 points per game mark.

Jennings exploded for 20 points in the third quarter alone at Chicago on Jan. 9, helping the Bucks erase a 15-point first-half deficit and sweep the road season series against the Bulls for the first time since the 2000-01 campaign.

Jennings’ Player of the Week honor is the third for a Bucks player this season. In addition to Jennings taking home the NBA’s first Player of the Week award this season, his backcourt mate Monta Ellis also won for the week ending Dec. 30. With three Player of the Week winners already, the Bucks are tied with the Miami Heat (LeBron James – 3) and Oklahoma City Thunder (Kevin Durant – 3) for most in the NBA this season.